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Street Photo of the Week #8

Unlike other forms of photography, street photography has a certain aspect of “rawness”. Rather than involve models or staged set-ups, street photography relies most heavily on catching a subject or scene at its most natural state – and knowing how to draw something more from that photo.

As a guest in the living and breathing scene around him/her, the street photographer becomes a natural observer (or maybe people who are natural observers tend to choose street photography?). Now although training the eye to know what to capture and how to use your camera to do so plays a big role in the success of the photo, a certain degree of luck undoubtedly plays a role. A kind of “at the right place, at the right time” philosophy applies. No one said it better than photography pioneer Henry Cartier-Bresson:

“The decisive moment is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression.”

This week’s SPOW is an example of how a street photographer, carefully observing her surroundings, managed to catch a very thought-provoking and symbolic “decisive moment”:

"Keep Walking" by Soha Menassa

The old gentleman, lifting the chair to sit on or maybe to allow a car to park in its place, is frozen in a motion. His foot, his cane and the foot of the chair rise of the ground in a synchronized, almost intentional, rhythm. Had Soha waited one second more, this would be an entirely different composition and probably not as interesting.

How do you interpret this photo? What stood out for you? Share your thoughts.

Until next week’s SPOW, keep your eyes always open to what’s oftentimes right in front of you. And then click, click, click until you’ve captured that “decisive moment”. Happy shooting photographers!

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